


Back in The Day

by call_me_caoimhe



Category: The Mighty Boosh
Genre: Abandonment, Blood, Children, Cruelty, Freedom, Gen, Hope, Injury, Kids, Kindness, Magic, Memory Lane, Nakedness, New Beginnings, Nuns, Punishment, Remember, Rescue, Shaman - Freeform, Starting Over, The Moon - Freeform, The Past, Trauma, Travel, Work, Xooberon, change, shamen, space, young Naboo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 01:52:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7994281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/call_me_caoimhe/pseuds/call_me_caoimhe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lately, Naboo has been poring over old memories during his usual bouts of insomnia, and we learn just what kind of life he'd had before coming to Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Early Beginnings

Early Beginnings

The bright stars twinkled in the velvet black sky as most of the western hemisphere slumbered peacefully below.

Naboo was often awake at such hours, being an insomniac.

He'd used to detest it; as he lay there in his four poster bed, he would attempt to force himself to sleep in vain, becoming more frustrated as time wore on.

But, after he'd begun to embrace it rather than merely steep in annoyance over his inescapable consciousness, Naboo would often find himself wandering about in the nearly empty streets.

He would make his way down the pavements in the cool night air, simply pondering; items that he could begin selling in the shop, whether he really ought to upgrade Bollo at last, whether he would up in front of the Board of Shamen after they'd finally cottoned onto his personal use of magic or whether he would always be able to squeak by...

Naboo ruminated about many things, but tonight Naboo's mind had strayed to long ago times and how much everything had changed for him.

 

He remembered his birthplace; a planet called Xooberon which more than paled in comparison to Earth.

Earth was home, and Naboo wouldn't choose to live anywhere else.

He did miss certain things, however few, when it came to Xooberon.

Little things like laying among the glowing pink kitla flowers beneath the hot moons and daydreaming, spending the night there and waking as the even hotter sun rose up from the north.

Drinking the intoxicating ooze secreted from a common variety of hairless mouse and then staring at the multi-coloured musical waterfall.

Or, even just the smell of the air, which had a hint of what can only be compared to a combination of a clean baby and the late autumn breeze.

Naboo had done all of these things on his own, no friends or family to share it with.

These experiences had been the only good ones he'd had on Xooberon, though they'd been tinged with loneliness; to have been able to do any of those things with someone who cared about him would have meant such a lot to Naboo.

But, the reality was that there wasn't a single other person who had felt any sort of real attachment to him, and Naboo had been deeply affected by it.

He hadn't had a great start in life, having been abandoned by his mother and father who'd been appalled by his 'defect'.

They had feared for what other people might say should they find out that their child was missing his bits, and hadn't wanted an 'imperfect' child.

And, so, even before his afterbirth had been expelled, his father had left his mother in the care of the elderly midwife and left to rid them of their son.

He had brought the swaddled infant into the woods, leaving him lying in a cardboard box just inside the mouth of a cold, wet cave.

It was up to fate now, whatever might happen to the newborn; whether life or death would come to the baby, his parents had washed their hands of him.

 

If it hadn't been for a ten year old boy passing by on his way home from school, Naboo might have very well perished.

The child had heard his cries, and had come toward the sound. He'd peered down at Naboo curiously, never having seen a baby so small before.

The lad had thought perhaps this baby was sick, since he was covered in dry gunk and didn't look to be a healthy colour.

Still, he didn't feel right walking on, and had picked up the carboard box with great care.

He'd walked slowly home, trying not to jostle little Naboo, talking to him and saying that he'd be all right.

The boy had shown his parents his find. "Can we keep her?" He'd asked eagerly, looking up at his parents hopefully. "I'd be an awesome big brother!"

The mother had stared at the baby with wide eyes, taking the cardboard box from her son and gently setting it on the dining room table. "Where did you find the wee dear?" She asked, frowning deeply.

The numbers of abandoned infants was on the rise, with there being an issue of overpopulation and a planet-wide law which had recently been enacted and stated that there would be no more than two children per household.

Had the parents brought their surplus children to any of the orphanages, or caught leaving them anywhere, they would have been reported and then punished for their procreation; rather than taking that risk, babies would often be found in dangerous places. And, many had been found too late.

Her face softened as she gingerly took the baby into her arms, cradling it.

She couldn't imagine how anyone could possibly abandon such a sweet little thing. Having to do something so awful must be close to impossible.

The boy's father leaned in over her shoulder, considering his son's request.  
They had been trying for another baby for years without conceiving. Perhaps they were meant to take this young one in and raise it as their own.

"We'll see." The mother answered at last, glancing at her husband, who gave her a smile.

With that, she had taken Naboo over to the sink and had run a nice bath.  
Setting him on a soft towel, she prepared to bathe him with a warm, damp cloth. She'd unfolded the fabric which had been wrapped around him, cooing nonsense at him.

"Goodness gracious!" The mother had gasped, covering her mouth with her hands in shock.

Her eyes lingered on what she'd found between Naboo's legs. Or, rather, what she hadn't found.

She'd gestured for her husband to come over, and he had been equally taken aback.

They'd mutually agreed that the child must have been cursed, and had chosen to leave it in the care of the Bitrian Nuns with the explanation of how he'd been discovered.

 

Growing up with other unwanted or surplus children beneath the watchful eyes of the nuns had instilled a deep-rooted sense of futility in him.

The children he'd grown up with were the ones who had never been adopted; they had either been 'too old' for any prospective parents to seriously consider or been 'too different' in one way or another.

This small group of young ones had never been seen by anyone who'd come seeking a new addition to their family.

They weren't different in the ways that some of the others were, whether it had been due to a physical or mental birth defect, a health disorder, or even because they had been born the 'wrong colour'.  
And, they had each been told the same thing again and again, until it became as truth to them; that they had been born that way because they were evil.  
That they deserved a life of pain and suffering so that when they died they had a chance of redemption.

The nuns had inflicted unspeakable punishments on these children in order to 'cleanse' them, scarring them in horrible ways.

There had even been occasions when a boy or girl wouldn't survive one of the more brutal punishments, and the rest of them would be told that when the evil had been chased out of them that it had taken their soul along with it. That it was a good thing.

There was no joy, no contentment, nothing good within the walls of the abbey.

It was only after Naboo had stumbled upon a smallish hole hidden in the dark basement which led to a way out into the world that he had felt the fresh air on his skin for the first time since coming there.

Vigilantly keeping his secret to himself, he would ever so carefully make his way to the hole to run off for a little while.  
It was during these times of brief freedom in which Naboo would cautiously creep off to lay in the grass beneath the heat of the moon, consume the sweet ooze from the tiny hairless rodents, or watch that delightful waterfall while breathing in the fresh air which smelt so wonderful.

But, as much as he'd dreamed of running away, he'd had little choice but to return to the abbey; Naboo had nowhere else to go, and besides, the nuns had drilled it into his head that he'd deserved to be there.


	2. In Which Naboo Meets Dennis

Naboo had spent fifteen traumatic years in that abbey, before escaping for good and leaving for the Eastern side of Xooberon, where he had kept to himself while working beneath a successful potions maker.

Whittling corks for all of the glass bottles, stocking the shelves of the shop, collecting ingredients, preparing meals, household chores... Naboo had toiled away, doing his best in all of his many duties.

It had been during that point in his life when he had met Dennis for the first time; back then, Dennis had been a simple shaman with wild hair and unmarked skin.

He'd greeted Naboo as if they had been equals, though Dennis was obviously of higher stock.

As Dennis began explaining to Naboo what he was wanting to purchase, the potions maker had quickly stepped in front of Naboo, nearly knocking him to the floor as he simperingly offered his full attention to the customer.

Dennis had felt this to be rather rude, but held his tongue.

 

Dennis had returned to the shop a number of times, always making an effort to acknowledge Naboo.

He could sympathise with Naboo, having been sold as a boy to the owner of a rough tavern; he knew what it was to belong to a tyrant that cared little for his servants.

Having someone pay even a small amount of kindness could mean a lot under those circumstances.

Naboo had wondered at the attention, not sure how to react.

He had gone on as he'd done before and had spoken no more than necessary as he concentrated on the work assigned to him so as not to get into trouble.

The last thing he wanted was to make that unpredictable potions maker angry.

 

A few weeks after Dennis had first found himself in the potions shop, he'd noticed Naboo finishing off a meager sandwich beneath the shade of a tall psydium tree, its massive purple leaves offering ample shade from the blazing sun.

"May I join you?" Dennis asked genially, squinting his pale blue eyes in the bright sunlight.

Naboo had shifted uncomfortably, staring at the grass and giving a nearly imperceptable nod.

Dennis had never met anyone so ill at ease.

"I'm Dennis, by the way." He said, not having introduced himself before.

He'd learnt of Naboo's name when he'd heard the potions maker snarl it a number of times during his shopping trips.

Dennis thought that the smaller man looked as if he would have much preferred to be alone.

"It must be difficult working for such a man as the potions maker." Dennis began, plucking a blade of grass and rolling it between his forefinger and thumb. 

Naboo looked as if he wanted to say something, but remained silent.

"You're overworked, shouted at, blamed for things that are no fault of your own... Why do you stay?" He asked, fairly certain of the answer but wanting confirmation.

Naboo screwed up the nerve to actually speak, his heart thumping as the words came out.

"I'm bound by contract." He answered simply, hating how difficult it was to talk to other people.

The only time he spoke freely without stress, was when his master's dog made its way to where he slept and he would quietly share what he had been holding inside.

Dennis frowned in disgust. "I'd thought as much." He stated, an edge to his voice. "Anyone who would dare treat their help in such an appalling manner would have little choice but to force them to stay or end up losing them."

When Naboo had come to the Eastern side, seeking work and shelter, he'd been desperate; he'd had no money to begin with, and he'd refused to thieve; Naboo was hungry, dirty, and badly wanted to build a good life for himself.

Naboo's need, inexperience, and lack of knowledge, had made it impossible to realise that the potions maker had wronged him.  
The contract which he'd had Naboo sign had included a clause which had turned him into merely property, a slave to be treated any way that his master seemed fit.  
And, because of the contract, there were no laws that could protect Naboo.

Xooberon was slowly phasing out slavery, which had unfortunately riddled the planet's history, and most of its inhabitants were strongly against owning another person.

"Perhaps I could manage to have you released from your duty. Would you like that?" Dennis asked, and Naboo actually managed to look at him for a moment, before staring back at the ground again.

The pale, underweight man seemed so broken... It made Dennis' heart ache to look at him.

Naboo gave a feeble shrug. "I've'nt got anywhere else to go." He replied, thinking that this was about as good as his life was going to get.  
Besides, he wasn't about to indulge in such fantastical thoughts when he was trapped where he was.

Naboo did at least have a private area to sleep (a first), two meals a day (even if they were only remnant scraps of his master's), and he was permitted to come and go as he pleased on Thursday afternoons so long as he stayed within a certain distance.

Dennis understood why Naboo couldn't permit himself to believe that he would ever be freed from that horrible man's service, at least not yet.

Accepting his situation when reality was bleak had helped keep Naboo alive, and to manage a flicker of hope when there was none to be had would have been devastating.

Dennis cleared his throat, folding his hands in his lap as he began pitching an offer to Naboo. "I am in need of a reliable man able to run errands for me. I shall soon be taking on increased duties and will no longer have time to take care of them myself." He told Naboo, certain that he could provide an environment in which the promising young man would absolutely thrive.

There was, of course, the matter of Naboo's blood; the red liquid which flowed through Naboo's veins was heavily infused with some of the most potent magic Dennis had ever detected in anybody.  
Dennis had run across quite a number of magical folk in his time, though they were becoming either harder to find or were dying out.

Dennis didn't doubt for a moment that Naboo's master was aware of his strong magic.  
Naboo, on the other hand, didn't seem to have even the slightest inkling.

There was every chance in the world that the potions master would begin to use Naboo's blood, sooner rather than later; the precious ruby liquid could be used for all sorts of powerful brews which would make his master incredibly rich and famous.

Of course, the most serious possibility was that the potions maker would imbibe Naboo's fresh, warm blood. This would transform him into a mighty sorcerer cabaple of evoking devastating terror across existence.

Dennis refused to allow that to take place.

The pure havoc that might be wreaked was unfathomable. The death, the destruction, the mass enslavement, torture beyond imagining...

 

There were few ways to break such a contract, and Dennis required Naboo's firm decision to leave his master.

Without that, there was no hope.

You see, the contract was an enchanted one, and it had to be properly broken in just the right way. Making in attempt to break it any other way would result in Naboo's slow, painful death.

Of course, that would solve the problem of the blood harvesting, but it would be a sad turn of events.

Dennis rather liked this young one, and was eager to see him bloom and reach his full potential.

"I think that you would be content in my service; you would be treated with respect and dignity, given all that you would need to live comfortably." Dennis continued, piquing Naboo's genuine interest. "And, you would be a free man, belonging only to yourself."

He paused here, watching as Naboo's breathing changed at the mention of his freedom.

"I could only afford to pay you thirty euros a week to start with... I would provide you with food and shelter at no extra cost, of course." Dennis added, watching as a very young mother went by with her five children all under the age of 9.

Naboo blinked, trying to process all of this information, no longer able to refrain from really listening to what this strange man was telling him.  
He found himself believing the words, the desire to run away from his current life becoming overwhelming.

"Too low?" Dennis asked thoughtfully, brushing some hair out of his eyes which a breeze had blown astray. "I understand, it's not much at all. But, until I prove myself to the board, I am not eligable for a pay rise and cannot afford to pay you any more than that."

Naboo's current pay was a scant two euros a week after rent and food costs had been deducted.   
Thirty euros seemed a small fortune to Naboo, and he couldn't imagine what he would do with that kind of money being given to him each week.

Naboo didn't understand why this man wanted to help him at all, or why he was offering such a large wage and acting as if it was a pittance, but Naboo had decided to trust Dennis.

He didn't want to spend the rest of his life living like he had been.  
Naboo wasn't sure how much longer he could survive it; constant hunger, rarely granted the option of getting clean, often finding himself in ill health... It was all taking a weighty toll on Naboo.

He want so much to say 'yes', to be able to go with Dennis and never return to that awful shop where he'd spent what felt like eons of his life.

But, Naboo didn't understand how that would be possible after signing his life over to the potions master.

Dennis was unable to tell whether Naboo would agree to come with him or not, being so quiet and withdrawn.  
It didn't help that Naboo's voice and body language were very much neutral and difficult to read.

"So, will you come work for me?" Dennis asked softly, and a tear slipped down Naboo's cheek.

"I can't." Naboo stated in a tone devoid of any emotion at all, beginning to feel numb.

"I will free you from your contract, if that changes anything." Dennis offered reassuringly.

Naboo raised his thick, black brows only just daring to believe it. "Really?"

Dennis nodded, his expression sombre. "Really."

 

They had gone straight to the shop, where Dennis had confidently confronted the nasty owner and had told him that Naboo would cease to be his property from then on.

The potions maker chuckled and dark amusement, his green eyes crinkling as his mouth contorted into a twisted grin.

He brought out Naboo's contract, which had been tucked away inside a bewitched copper box on the highest shelf in the place.

"I think not." The potions maker intoned lowly, unfurling the parchment on the crystal display counter for Dennis to view. "As you can plainly see, the tiny cur belongs to me. He's my property, and I'd not relinquish even a mouldy piece of bread to the likes of yourself. You foolish, would-be thief!"

He sneered at Dennis, his face purpling with his potent fury. "Now, you will leave my shop without my servant, never to return else I strike you dead with a nasty curse!" He growled, baring his yellowing teeth and turning his insanity tinged glare onto poor Naboo.

Naboo was quite frightened now, and was beginning to regret going along with this.

Dennis gave him a bracing look, not having lost even a smidgeon of his cool demeanour. "Tell your master what your intentions are, whether you will stay or leave. You are in no danger while I am here with you."

Naboo swallowed, feeling a bit dizzy as a panic attack began to take hold.   
A sharp lump formed in his throat, his heart felt as if it might burst through his chest, and it felt as if he couldn't breath. If his master didn't kill him, he began feeling sure that he would die anyway.

"I... I'm goin' wif him." He managed somehow, and the potions maker assured him that he would follow the written agreement and live out his life as the lowly servant he was.

"Or, perhaps you won't have to suffer serving me much longer." His master threatened, reaching over the counter for Naboo with his gnarled fingers topped with thick, cracking nails.

Dennis' eyes suddenly went from their general pale blue to a brilliant white as he began muttering an incantation in a strange tongue, placing one hand on the contract and the other on Naboo.

The potions maker stopped what he was doing, becoming uneasy as he felt the power Dennis was exuding.

Within moments, the parchment burst into blinding pink and orange flames and was gone.  
Not even a scorch mark wa left behind.

The potions master's eyes went wider than anyone might have thought possible, readying himself to attack with full force.

Dennis merely muttered a few words in what sounded like the same language he'd used for the incantation, and they were immediately transported to a dim place in the middle of a bunch of trees.

Naboo looked around, feeling rather shaken. He could scarcely believe what had just happened.

Naboo wriggled his toes, the firm dirt much more solid than what he was used to.

Oh, and it was cold there! For the first time, Naboo could see his breath as he exhaled and it mystified him.

"Wh-where are we?" Naboo asked as he began to shiver, holding himself in a vain attempt to warm up.

Dennis removed his top, revealing a muscular frame. He'd draped it over Naboo's shoulders, and the smaller man awkwardly wrapped it around his scrawny frame to keep the long sleeves from dragging along the ground.

"Anthereon." Dennis answered, motioning for Naboo to follow after him as he walked. "I'm afraid that I'm not used to traveling in such a manner, and undershot - we were meant to arrive at the estate."

They had walked for ten minutes or so, before a gleaming blue building suddenly appeared in the middle of what had been an empty but immaculately landscaped field.

"Welcome home, Naboo." Dennis said, taking in the expression on Naboo's face as he stared at the massive place in awe.


	3. In Which Naboo Begins to Become Himself

Naboo's quarters were spacious, and contained not only a bed more than large enough for three of him, plus other furniture on top of that.

He even had a massive window which overlooked the picturesque grounds, which had made Naboo very happy.

It all seemed incredibly extravagant to Naboo.

Before coming to stay with Dennis, he had been subjected to sleeping on the dirt floor of a room in the dank cellar with no window or any light at all besides a candle which he'd bring with him, no bed, and only a filthy sheet to grant him any warmth or comfort at all.

At least with the nuns, he'd been given a clean blanket and a mat to sleep on if nothing else.

 

Dennis watched as Naboo took it all in, exhibiting signs of mild shock.

He had the exhausted fellow, grunge and all, get into bed. Dennis then brought Naboo a soothing cup of chamomile tea.

"Now, I want you to take some well-deserved rest." Dennis said as Naboo tasted the beverage, which was new to him. "If you need anything, I want you to concentrate on thinking my name."

Naboo frowned, considering this to be rather a strange request.

"It's the best way to get my attention, as this place is beyond expansive." Dennis explained, as if that cleared everything up. "There used to be bells in the place, which I quite liked, but my wife, Methuselah, has an intrepid loathing of them. She'd had them all removed as soon as we moved in."

"But, 'ow will you hear that?" Naboo asked curiously, wondering if he'd missed something important.  
He was finding it a bit easier to talk to Dennis, adjusting to this strange sensation of growing trust. Naboo only hoped that he was right to put such faith in a near stranger, even if said stranger had rescued him from the grips of an evil man.

"Hm?" Dennis intoned in confusion, before realisation struck. "Oh! That's right, I haven't told you yet; I possess a psychic gift which allows me to receive the thoughts of others, and to project my own thoughts in turn. It's really quite useful."

"Ah." Naboo said quietly, unsure of what to think.

Everything seemed so drastically different than what he was used to, and the bizarre quality of some of it had left his mind reeling.

Even so, Naboo got the impression that he was safe here, and that everything was going to turn out all right.

"I must leave you for now, but I won't be far should you require anything." Dennis told Naboo, who snuggled into the gorgeous softness of the mattress, a feather pillow behind his head.

It didn't take long at all for Naboo to drift into a deep slumber.

 

When he awoke, it was still daylight.

Naboo got out of bed, needing very much to pee.

He dashed out of bed and into the in-room bathroom, which was also quite large and impressive. The fixtures were all made of amber marble with copper accents, there was a round jade whirlpool tub that was sunk into the glossy onyx floor.  
The room held a number of exotic looking plants which were thriving; the sunlight that filtered into the room from the glass roof and large windows in the wall added a nice touch.

After he'd gone, Naboo had taken a closer look at a particularly beautiful flowering plant before heading back to the bedroom.

Dennis had come in whilst Naboo had been indisposed and was waiting in the middle of the room.

"Good morning." He greeted Naboo warmly. "I take it that you slept well, considering you were out for a good seventeen hours."

Naboo raised his brows in surprise. "Was I really?" 

Dennis nodded, his lips curving slightly upward. "If you are feeling quite refreshed, I think it would be prudent to find you a suitable change of clothing."   
He eyed the rotting cloth that had been serving as Naboo's covering for the entire time he'd known him. 

Naboo looked down at his clothes, suddenly embarrassed of them.  
The fabric, which had once been gray (or was it beige?) was now so covered in stains and filth that in many places it was nearly black. And, the multiple holes had been growing larger as time went on, patches of his skin showing where it should be.

There was no comparison at all between Dennis' fine robe and his own attire.

He'd learnt to become accustomed to wearing the hideous, smelly thing and had stopped thinking about it after a while. 

"Come." Dennis invited him, putting an arm around the shorter man in a comforting sort of way. "I know of just the place."

 

Dennis had taken Naboo on his flying carpet, which had delighted his young charge.

It had been a treat to see the clouds up close, to breathe air that pure, to see the endlessness that was space.

They'd traveled a long way, through the darkness peppered with shining stars, all the way to another planet.

As they entered the atmosphere, Naboo shivered.

Space hadn't seemed to have any sort of temperature at all, which had come as a surprise, but this planet was even chillier that Dennis'.

As the carpet landed, Dennis informed Naboo that this planet was called 'Earth'.

Naboo looked up at the blue sky, wondering how it was possible that such a bright sun could provide such pitifully little warmth.

Dennis had landed just ourside of a tailors and had ushered Naboo inside.

 

"As, Monsieur! It has been a while, non?" A very tall man in fine clothes came over and greeted Dennis, before grimacing slightly as he turned his gaze to the dirty ragamuffin before him.

Dennis would have had Naboo take a thorough shower, and washed the thing that Naboo had been stuck wearing if it would have held up to a cleaning. And, there was no point in getting Naboo washed up only to have him wear that grotesque sack.

"Indeed, it has." Dennis agreed, gesturing to Naboo. "My friend requires a new set of clothes; something durable, comfortable, and stylish, please Antoine."

Antoine forced himself to smile at Naboo, pretending not to be completely offended that Naboo had sullied his shop aimed at the well to do. His kind were simply not welcome.  
Unless, of course, they were brought in by a loyal and/or rich customer such as Dennis.

Antoine did his best to act pleased to serve Naboo. "Ah, of course!" He replied, taking his measuring tape to Naboo, who stood there awkwardly.  
The process made him feel exposed and vulnerable somehow, and he didn't like it in the least.

After Antoine had recorded the numbers on a small piece of white paper, he turned back to Naboo. "Now, what might the gentleman desire?" He queried, clasping his hands and staring at him expectantly.

Naboo averted his gaze to the floor, finding this all rather difficult to deal with.

Dennis frowned, noting the barely veiled disgust that Antoine was treating Naboo with.

"Naboo, why don't you take a look around to see if you can find anything you like?" Dennis asked, stepping in to give Naboo a break.

Antoine nodded in agreement, watching as Naboo shifted uncomfortably before turning away and seeking out the fabric swatches on the countertop.

Most of them were dingy colours; browns, grays, creams, whites... Boring colours, at least on their own.

But, he had found a few decent ones, which he'd set aside to make a small pile of possibilities.

It was tough, with being granted so much choice. Making an actual decision would be a challenge, that was for sure.

The first swatch he'd chosen had been a striped pattern done in blue, white, and gold.   
He'd never considered it before, but Naboo decided that he rather liked stripes.

Naboo had then chosen some more swatches; a silky purple and gold one, an orange one, a particularly striking red and black pinstriped piece, and a yellow polkadotted one.

Naboo noticed another collection of swatches, and chose one last option; it was rainbow coloured with daisies printed on top.

Antoine came over, taking the floral swatch off the small stack, tutting.

"No, no, that is for the women!" He fairly chastised.

Dennis went over and placed the swatch back on top, giving Antoine a look.

Antoine pressed his lips together, clearing his throat. "Of course, if that is what the little sir wants, then that is what he shall recieve."

Dennis gave Antoine a look. "I should think so." He stated, standing up as straight as he could.

Antoine took a look at the first swatch Naboo had taken. "A lovely pattern, it will suit you well." Antoine said, meaning his words. "Is there a particular style you prefer for your clothing? Any flourishes I ought to include?"

Naboo honestly had no idea. He'd never chosen and of his clothes before, and was feeling a touch overwhelmed.

As a result, he'd stood there opening and closing his mouth like a stunned fish, not sure what he was supposed to tell this daunting man.

Dennis gave Naboo an encouraging smile. before suggesting some style or other to the man, who nodded as he mentally pictured the smaller man in such a suit.

"Excellent, excellent... Of course, it may well give the illusion of, ahem, shorter stature." Antoine remarked in uncertainty, looking at Naboo and thinking how difficult it would have been for himself to have stopped growing at a mere 5'1.

Knowing that Naboo would likely not know what sort of clothes that Dennis had spoken of, he had asked Antoine if he had a catologue with an image for Naboo to look at.

After a bit of rummaging, Antoine produced a magazine with precisely what Dennis had mentioned.

"What do you think?" Dennis asked Naboo, who looked at the image which was something of an Earthen Middle Eastern style, and grinned.

"I fink it's great." Naboo said, thinking that it looked wonderful.

Dennis was satisfied. "When might I expect a set of ten of these?"

Antoine gave it some thought. "For you?" He asked, rubbing his chin. "A day, perhaps two. I have many orders, but I put you at the top of the list. You are my favourite customer, after all!"

Dennis gave a nod. "Thank-you, that is appreciated." He said politely. "For now, a pair of those short pants and any shirt will have to do." Dennis added, wanting very much to get Naboo into something clean and whole.

 

Naboo walked around this place called London in his new threads, Dennis at his side.

The city was booming; it was filled with so many people, buildings, and cars... It was a busy, exciting sort of place that begged to be explored.

Naboo's eyes sparkled as they passed a display window filled with bits and bobs that didn't look quite as new and shiny as most of the other things he'd seen for sale in windows as they'd walked by.

Unable to help himself, Naboo had stopped to look as Dennis watched him happily.

He was already coming out of his shell a bit, which was a great sign.

"Antiques." Dennis told him, perusing the objects himself. "Most humans don't seem altogether interested in the past, whether in regards to history or to objects. Even older humans are often ignored and left behind, the young ones preferring to only look ahead and ignore all else. It's quite sad, really."

Dennis shook his head, never having completely understood human behaviour. "Would you like to go inside?"

Naboo nodded enthusiastically.

 

The shop was filled an array of fascinating things; big, flat black discs which held music, fragile dolls made of porcelain, beaded curtains, some clothing, lamps, macrame, wicker furniture, and plenty of other stuff.

What had particularly caught Naboo's coffee coloured eyes was the jewellery.

He glanced over the trays of gold, silver, and brass chains meant to go around necks and wrists.

Of course, jewellery wasn't altogether uncommon on Xooberon, though it had been strictly the elite who had worn it.

Naboo had moved on to look at another tray, this one full of something even better: RINGS!

Oh, how Naboo had liked rings!

His face lit up as he looked them over; there had been simple bands, ones with small stones, and others that were quite big. There were so many different styles and colours, each one cooler than the last.

Naboo had especially liked a thick silver band which had been adorned with a good-sized piece of irridescant moonstone.

Dennis couldn't help but indulge Naboo; he'd taken that ring from the tray, and placed it on Naboo's slim middle finger.

The piece was far too big, not that this had proven to be a problem, as it had been an adjustable one.

Dennis squeezed the ring until it had fit Naboo's finger.

Naboo stared at it, never having thought he would be so lucky as to have something so lovely.

Dennis paid the bill, and then they had left to have lunch at one of Dennis' preferred restaurants.

 

At the end of the busy day, Naboo had been exhausted.

Dennis had given him a taste of Earth, London in particular, and Naboo had adored it.

Still, it had required a lot of energy and Naboo had needed to rest periodically despite being a rather resilient fellow.

Dennis had been careful not to throw too much at Naboo, letting him take it all at his own pace.

They'd winded their way throughout the city; on foot, on the tube (which Naboo had been somewhat unsure about, not liking its sound at all and thinking it looked unsafe), and in a mini cab.

Hours had gone by before Naboo had realised it, and they'd needed to return back to Anthereon.

As he lay in bed, feeling grateful for all that Dennis had done for him already, he rubbed the ring on his finger in an absentminded way while reality faded into vibrant dreams.


	4. In Which Naboo Learns to Stand Up for Himself

In the coming weeks and months, Naboo had become very comfortable in his new life. He'd adapted well, and was happy living with Dennis.

He gladly performed his duties for Dennis, had read a number of the fascinating books from the humugous library upstairs, and become familiar with the board of shamen of which Dennis was its head.

Naboo had even been invited to the intricate and meaningful ceremony held with Dennis at its core. After the trial period of his becoming head shaman, having proven his ability to lead the board, he had earned his regal blue markings.

Few had been permitted to view the ancient ritual, and there had been some whispering questioning Naboo's presence, but Dennis had wanted him there.

Dennis had very much taken to Naboo, and had admittedly spoiled him.

Even so, Naboo didn't act like a privileged brat.

In fact, it still didn't feel quite right to be given so much; the kindness and companionship, the delicious treats, the pretty things lavished upon him, and the amount of pure freedom that Naboo was given had felt more like a strange dream sometimes.

Not everybody liked Naboo, however.

There had been a tall, slim man who dressed all in black and nearly always donned a hat with a long feather attached to it who had shown Naboo only contempt from their first meeting.

When the day came when he was meant to work with this tempermental bloke by the name of Saboo, Naboo had been hesitant.

After everything he'd gone through, it made him nervous to be around cranky people.  
Naboo was used to being lashed out at; the physical, mental, and emotional abuse he'd suffered had made it difficult to tell what might happen when he was around a person who'd lost their temper.

"What are you staring at, you daft plum?" Saboo asked in his deep voice, crossing his arms.

Naboo cleared his throat. "Sorry." He apologised in a quiet voice, hoping that this would take the edge off of any negativity Saboo felt toward him.

Saboo had narrowed his eyes, still put off by Dennis' mascot. Naboo was so... Quiet and gentle. And, yet, the power that radiated off of him like heat waves off of a highway during the summer months in Arizona made Saboo question why this pale man was so awfully demure.

Saboo had never heard Naboo utter even a mild curse word. He had simply gone about being compliant and easygoing.

Saboo had easily written him off as a goody-goody, and he couldn't bring himself to respect such people.  
They tended to be flaky, unreliable, and annoying.

"Come along." Saboo sighed, knowing that having this pain in the arse along would only slow him down. He much preferred working alone, but as Dennis had commanded it, he had to bring Naboo along to the Caverns. "If we're going to make it back in time before dusk, we've got to get going."

Naboo hurried to keep up with Saboo's long strides.

He could tell that Saboo was putting an effort into the speed of his walking, and felt a slight pang.

What had he done wrong to make Saboo not like him?

 

As Saboo drove the carpet, Naboo sat quietly in the back toying with the hem of his blue tunic.

After an hour or so, Saboo had landed on a smallish planet which served more as a rest stop than anything else, with a number of hotels, washrooms, and greasy spoons.

While Saboo grabbed himself a refreshing bowl of Smarties cereal and a few cheese bagels for later, Naboo was drawn to a shabby booth selling clothes.

"Mishriti, bi takkui!" A beautiful woman with ankle length green hair greeted him cheerily, her waist length hair covering her otherwise bare breasts.

Naboo blinked. "Er, hello." He replied uncertainly.

The woman wore only a skirt, and with the breeze toying with her luscious brown locks, her breasts were intermittently revealed. She didn't seem to care.

"Hello, I am sorry, I didn't realise you don't speak Gransha." She apologised, bowing slightly.

"No problem." Naboo told her, feeling a little awkward.

He wasn't bothered by her nakedness, neither was he intrigued.

They were only breasts. He never had understood the fascination surrounding them.  
But, he didn't want to come off as a pervert should his eyes cross over her chest by accident.

"Just browsing?" She asked knowingly, and he nodded.

The woman considered him a moment, cocking her head to the side.

She reached beneath the small wooden counter, showing Naboo a turban which was nearly the exact same shade of blue as his outfit.

The jewel which hung from it was a polished amulet of onyx, and it added a certain charming flair to it.

"Hmmm?" She intoned, offering it to him.

Naboo tried it on.

It had a weight to it, but was quite comfortable.

He looked in the mirror from the next stall, taking in his appearance.

Naboo inhaled sharply, taken aback.

It had been some time since he'd looked at his reflection, having never held much interest in what he looked like. Naboo didn't see much point of vainly staring in mirrors. Even if he'd considered himself to be attractive, he still would have avoided the practice.

But, since he'd last seen himself, he noted that he was notably less thin, his dark hair had a glossy sheen now, and he had colour in his cheeks.

He looked healthy for once. And, not only did he look healthy, but he blended into the crowd.

That was something he adored; people didn't turn and stare at him now, making loud remarks about his dirty clothes or how much of a disgusting urchin he was.

He'd forgotten that he'd initially been seeing what the turban looked like on him, when the lovely stall attendant's voice shook him out of his thoughts.

"You like?" She asked with a smile, and Naboo turned back to her.

He wasn't sure if it suited him, even if it did look pretty good.

"I dunno, what do ya fink?" He asked, and she nodded.

"I like, very handsome." She replied, her cheeks ruddying noticeably as she smiled sweetly at him.

Naboo touched the turban, thinking that he rather liked it, too.

"How much d'ya want for it?" He asked, deciding to take it as Saboo waited impatiently off to the side.

"Three euros." She answered, and Naboo reached into his pocket.

The stall didn't seem to be selling much, and was in disrepair. And, the attendant's skirt needed to be replaced, and she looked hungry.

It was then that he noticed the sleeping baby in a woven basket behind her, nestled snugly in a rough looking blanket.

Naboo placed ten euros in her hand, which was everything he had on him.

Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head. "No, no, that's too much!" She told him, trying to give the money back.

"This turban's great, three euros is too little to charge for something like this." He replied, giving her a wave and turning to Saboo.

"About bloody time!" Saboo stated, uncrossing his arms.

 

The rest of the trip had dragged on awfully, with neither of them breaking the deafening silence.

Reaching Mars, Naboo could see quite a large number of small, naked, brown octoped creatures milling about in groups.

"Unless you want to get yourself into trouble, don't even breathe the word 'martian'." Saboo told him. "In fact, don't even think it."

"Why not?" Naboo asked curiously, squinting to focus his eyes to see the inhabitants a bit more clearly.

"Because, to them it's a slur of the most heinous kind and there's no telling what any one of them might do upon hearing it; travelers here have been imprisoned, stabbed, or furiously shouted at while being chased for merely uttering the word." Saboo explained, having learnt this by making that very mistake his first time out here.

Naboo would be sure to remember this.

They landed softly on the purple sand, which moved periodically as if the very planet was breathing.

Saboo pointed a black gizmo at the carpet, pushing a button and setting the theft alarm.

"Right, stay close and don't touch anything." Saboo looked down his nose at him, his attitude one which most people might adopt with a child who tended to become unruly.

Naboo nodded his understanding, looking behind Saboo into the dark carvern.

He hadn't been told much about what they were supposed to be doing here, Dennis having left much of the explaining to be done by Saboo in an attempt to encourage companionship between the two. Not that Saboo had done his part and clued Naboo in.

What Naboo did know was that this was Mars, that the cavern that they were heading into was enchanted and potentially dangerous, and that they were meant to find and bring back an ancient scroll.

As he followed behind, Saboo lit the way a torch, and he got the feeling that if Dennis hadn't been perfectly clear that if anything happened to him that Saboo would be held personally responsible, that he would have ended up having some sort of dreadful accident or conveniently left behind.

Trying to keep up with his short legs wasn't easy, especially when the light wasn't quite covering where he was walking and he'd ended up stumbling from time to time.

As a crippling leg cramp struck, Naboo let out a pained cry and fell to the ground as he clutched his right calf.

Saboo stopped in his tracks, backtracking a few steps to see what the problem was.

"We've got to keep going; if we don't leave within the next three hours, then the keshtaell beetles will begin coming out and we really don't want to be here for that." Saboo told him, not altogether concerned with Naboo's problem. "We're wasting valuable time we're going to need to find the scroll, so if you could manage to get up..."

Naboo glared up at him, having had enough. "Maybe if ya didn't feel the need to race ahead, I wouldn't have had to jog to keep up and I wouldn't have gotten hurt." He stated, a definite edge to his voice.

"Look, it's not my fault that you're tiny. If you can't keep up -" Saboo started self-righteously, his hands on his narrow hips.

"Not when I've got to continually dash after some jerk with a gigantic chip on his shoulder, no." Naboo cut him off in annoyance, massaging his slowly relaxing leg.

Saboo relented, feeling a hint satisfied that Naboo had finally begun standing up to him, that he actually did have something of a backbone. It had taken long enough to show.

"If I slow down, will you make an effort to keep up?" Saboo asked, his tone ever so slightly less smarmy than before.

"I s'ose I could do that." Naboo replied evenly, cocking an eyebrow. "While yer feelin' generous, maybe ya could find it in yer heart to be less of an arse."

Saboo stifled an amused grin, clearing his throat and glancing at his watch. "Anytime you want to get going is fine with me." 

Naboo slowly got to his feet, half-expecting his leg to cramp up again.

He took a few tentative steps, breathing a sigh of relief that his leg was back to normal.

 

Naboo and Saboo had wandered throughout the cavern's tunnels and along the ancient paths, searching high and low for the scroll.

It had been hidden away within the cavern tens of centuries ago, by a head shaman of old.

Only recently had some texts surfaced, discovered by a bored shaman poking about in their attic.

Naturally, the shamen had all been curious and soon a plan to recover the scroll was enacted.

But, there was terribly little to go on in the way of directions to it, beyond its location being somewhere in the cavern.

More than two-thirds of their time had elapsed, and they were no closer to reaching their goal.

They'd searched, and searched, with nothing at all to show for it.

It was while Saboo had been unlocking a dusty chest that Naboo had noticed what looked to be paper wadged into the mouth of a stuffed horse.

As he'd promised not to touch anything, he'd tried to get Saboo's attention but had been flatly ignored.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to check just this one thing out...

Naboo had cautiously made his way over, trying not to touch more than was necessary.

As he knocked over a bronze chalet, which had tumbled noisily to the stone floor, Saboo had spun around ready to attack if necessary.

"Are you kidding me? I told you not to touch anything." Saboo huffed in frustration, gesturing with his hands. "And, here you are touching all sorts of possibly cursed objects. You plum jerk-off!"

Naboo stuck his tongue in his cheek. "I did try to get yer attention, didn't I, not that you'd paid me any mind." He pointed out, concentrating on not falling down from the pile of stuff he'd climbed atop of to get to the horse's mouth.

Saboo's eyes drifted to where Naboo had been reaching, and came over.

Being tall, it had been easy for him to simply reach out a hand and stick his fingers inside the mouth to retrieve the yellowed paper.

It didn't look like anything special, even as Saboo worked away at uncrumpling whatever it may have been.

Naboo hadn't expected Saboo to manage it with such abundant patience, yet he hadn't heard even an annoyed grunt from him.

After the paper had been smoothed enough to decipher what it was that had been scrawled upon it, Saboo's eyes fairly glittered in the torchlight.

"This is it." He breathed, before his spine stiffened as they heard a barely perceptible chittering. 

He gave Naboo a firm look, though there was fear in his eyes. "Run!" He ordered Naboo, swiftly rolling the scroll and grabbing hold of the torch which he'd stuck in a pile of gold.

The chittering grew stronger, the sound a high-pitched metallic sort of sound which caused anyone that heard it to feel the sting of a white-hot ice pick deep in their eardrums.

Naboo covered his ears, nearly crumpling into a heap on the ground when that pain had hit him hard.

He could see that Saboo had already covered his own ears as he'd dashed off ahead of him in heightening panic.

Naboo had been left behind in the dark, his pulse skyrocketing as the noise began coming from two other directions.

 

Saboo couldn't make himself go back into that cavern, not when those things were awake and on the rampage.

He might have faced danger time and again, coming up against the infamous crunch itself a number of times, but when it came to keshtael beetles, Saboo was terrified.

He knew that Dennis would be furious with him, but it was too late for Naboo. He could just feel it.

Saboo shuddered as he imagined what those gigantic irridescant beetle would do to that poor little guy.

But, what else could he do?

He stepped onto the carpet, calmer now that he felt safe again.  
Saboo sat down cross-legged, tucked the scroll into a large inner pocket on the inside of his long, black jacket, and set off on the return journey.


	5. In Which Saboo is Punished

Dennis' silence spoke deafening volumes, and Saboo swallowed hard.

Those pale blue eyes were as cold as permafrost, and his face was devoid of expression as he stood up from his spot at the board's table.

Dennis moved over to a senior board member, a woman who looked like a stereotypical green witch.  
He bent down, whispering something in her ear as Saboo began to sweat as he imagined what sort of punishment he might be in for.

Dennis hadn't punished anyone before, and therefore Saboo had no way of gauging just what it was he might do.

The green witch gave a single nod, her gaze locking grimly onto Saboo.

And, with that, Dennis had left.

 

The head shaman had promptly left for Mars, spending the entirety of the journey unable to stop thinking of how foolish Saboo's actions could be and how badly traumatised Naboo would have been as the keshtaells had rushed at him.

For now, Saboo would simply be locked in the cage to stew in his own juices, fretting over what consequences would be in store for him.

Dennis hadn't stopped for even a moment, hurrying onto his destination.

Upon arriving, he found the cavern with ease and landed straight in front of it.

Dennis stood up, stretched his back, and lit his lantern before striding confidently into the pitch black.

He focused on mentally locating Naboo, which didn't take long at all.

Dennis had made his way about a mile or so in, when he found Naboo partially laying on some rubble which had fallen long ago, looking as if he had fallen heavily onto it after blindly tripping over the sharp stones.

He was alive yet, though his pulse had slowed.

With the temperature having dropped significantly, that was to be expected.

Dennis crouched down and picked Naboo's unconscious form up, holding him closely in order to warm him some.

There had been no sighting of the beetles, but evidence of them was all around; keshtaels leave glowing footprints wherever they go, which linger for a number of hours after they move along.

 

Outside the cave, Dennis set Naboo gently down on the carpet.

As he did, he noticed a wet and slightly patch on Naboo's upper abdomen.

Dennis slid Naboo's top up for a quick examination, finding a deep wound which looked to be from the razor sharp horn of a keshtaell.

This was bad.

The poison was excreted from the horns of the beetle was harmless so long as it only touched unbroken skin.  
If it should penetrate the body through an open cut, swallowed, or by landing in one's eyes, then it could prove deadly.

Though Naboo was not awake, Dennis knew that he was in agony.

He would be for some time, depending mainly on how long he would last.   
There was a chance of survival, of course, but it was slim.

 

Dennis took out a small leather bag from a pocket, taking a pinch of what looked to be mere sand and sprinkling it over the wound.

It wasn't a cure, or much of a treatment, but it was all he could do out here like this.

It ought to be enough to help Naboo linger a little longer if nothing else. Give him a fighting chance.

 

After a worrisome trip, Dennis had made it safely back to Anthereon.

He had carried Naboo's limp body into the mansion, setting him down on a bed in the nearest room, looking ferocious.

Dennis summoned his personal physician, setting him to work on Naboo without delay.

As the doctor began taking a look at the extensive damage, the wound having grown as Naboo's flesh was steadily eaten away by the toxin, Dennis looked grimly on.

He couldn't make himself leave.

The doctor laid out his tools, choosing a scalpel to begin removing the dying flesh.

It had been touch and go, and there had been intensive surgery performed, potions poured, powdered remedies used, chants sung...

It was a complicated process, but it was all necessary.

Once it was over, there was only the waiting left.

 

As punishment for his irresponsibility, and for abandoning a potential apprentice, Saboo had temporarily banished.

Relieved of his powers, Saboo had been sent to a densely populated planet which had recently suffered a series of record-breaking cyclones which had left devastation in its wake; Dennis had ordered him to serve the victims, to do what he could to assist in rebuilding their lives.

With his love of solitude and the nearly palpable disregard for others, Saboo needed to learn just how important it was to care about others.

 

The torn down buildings, uprooted trees, the abject ruin everywhere... 

Saboo had been shocked to witness first-hand the pure destruction which had left thousands dead.

He had seen quite a lot in his long lifetime, but nothing quite like this.

And, it hit him hard.

Saboo couldn't fathom where he would even begin helping these people.

 

A tiny old woman, worn by time and weather, had hobbled up next to Saboo after he'd arrived, wooden cane in hand.

"Kh'tall." She greeted him in his first language, surprising him.

His language had been all but erased from the universe after the war.  
She must have been one of the few survivors like himself, and with this, another pang hit Saboo.

Saboo blinked, returning the greeting.

"Lital mishiuk ghnaena." She informed him, her words softer for being toothless.

Dennis had chosen this woman to guide him in his work here, and to ensure that he did what he'd been told to.

"Jitl bhe." Saboo replied, letting her know that he would follow whatever orders she might choose to give him.

Saboo had been strongly reminded of that time before his planet had been lost with the scene before him, but to hear that endangered language of his... He felt a need to do everything he could to help these people.

"Khayim." She told him, gesturing for him to follow as she began making her way through the debris across the hot sands.

 

Naboo had lain unconscious for days, and hope was beginning to fade.

At first, he'd been fevered and covered in a glistening sweat, and was now growing colder as time went on.

Dennis had kept close tabs on Naboo, feeling completely responsible for what had happened; he'd known Saboo wasn't fond of Naboo, and about his irrational fear of the keshtaells, yet had still sent them together into the cavern.

He'd watched as Naboo had languished from both the poison and the trauma from the surgery.  
There was only so much that magic could do against magic, and the beetle's poison happened to be one of the oldest forms which had been used as a weapon in long ago times.

But, nearly a fortnight after the incident, Naboo's eyes had cracked open; he was even more pale than usual, there were dark rings around his eyes, and he was even thinner than when Dennis had first clapped eyes on him, but Naboo was finally awake.

Naboo was too weak to sit up, or even turn his head to look around.

There didn't seem to be anyone other than himself in the room, which didn't look like his own at all.

Everything ached, and the light which was being filtered in through sheer crimson curtains seemed blinding and made his head pound tremendously.

He closed his eyes, exhaustion snuffing his consciousness once more.

 

Hours later, Naboo awoke again, this time with Dennis sitting at his bedside.

"Thank goodness." Dennis murmered, his tone one of flooding relief.

Naboo began to open his mouth, trying to say something but still too weak to manage anything quite that strenuous.

Then, remembering that Dennis could read his thoughts (so long as Naboo permitted it), he began explaining what had happened in that dark cave.

Dennis listened, now having both sides to the story.

'Am I dying?' Naboo asked him wordlessly, feeling certain that this would be the end of him.

He'd never felt pain like this before, and the weakness plauguing him was nearly as bad. Merely breathing took effort.

Dennis licked his lower lip, and shook his head. "No. I don't believe that you are." He answered truthfully, realising how scared Naboo must still have been. "You were quite seriously ill at first, and the doctors had been certain that you would perish."

"It's been a fortnight since that foray into the cave." Dennis told him, brushing a bit of stray hair off of Naboo's sunken cheek. "That you've awoken is amazing in and of itself; surviving keshtaell poison is nearly unheard of. Most succumb to it within a matter of minutes, and yet here you are. You will heal and be well again, Naboo."

'How long will it take?' Naboo asked, putting all of his strength into this simple conversation. 

Dennis looked away momentarily, before making eye contact again. "I don't know." 

Naboo closed his eyes, beginning to doubt that Dennis was telling him the truth.

Maybe he was dying and Dennis wanted his last moments to be filled with the hope of becoming well again.

Or, maybe he would be like this for the remainder of his life.

He wasn't up to any of this right now, and Dennis sensed this.

"I will leave you to rest, now." Dennis told him, getting to his feet.

Naboo opened his eyes to look up at Dennis. 'Thank-you.' He said in gratitude, not having known anyone else who would have taken such care of him. He'd not known a single other who would have taken such pains to help him during a crisis, who would have done anything significant to help him become well again.

Dennis smiled, his eyes crinkling a little bit. "You are more than welcome, Naboo." He replied softly, only wishing that he was capable of doing more.


	6. In Which Saboo Breaks

Meanwhile, Saboo strove to work with a team of eight other people to clear the rubble away from a destroyed hospital to free any survivors that might have been trapped.

So far, they'd only found more of the dead; with each discovery, Saboo's heart sank further and further until he was barely able to stand it.

He'd spent most of his life trying to seperate himself from other people for his own protection; to keep from the pain that caring like that could sear across his heart, to prevent the ache of separation from those he might have otherwise cared about, to keep himself safe from all of the bad feelings that sentimental attachments to others inevitably brought sooner or later.

And, yet, here he was feeling some of the worst emotional pain he'd ever felt.

He worked as hard as he could, his hands constantly scraping against brick and mortar so roughly that he was bleeding.

Suddenly, there was a cry from one of the others. A survivor!

Everyone rushed to help, working in unison to free whomever was beneath the heavy rubble.

It took some time, but together they had managed to remove enough of the debris that they could see a very young girl curled up in a little pocket which had formed when the hospital had collapsed.

She stared up at them, her eyes wide in terror.

Had nobody heard her coughing fit, they might not have found her.

He couldn't speak the language of the people there, and so one of the others spoke to the child, trying to coax her out.

But, she didn't move.

The rubble slid a bit, threatening to cover the girl again.

There wasn't time for this!

Saboo impetuously came closer to the exposed pocket and manovred himself just enough to be able to cautiously ease his top half inside.

"It's going to be okay, I promise." He said in the best reassuring tone he could muster, wishing she could understand what he was telling her. "I'm going to take you out of here, you're going to be fine."

He reached out, and she recoiled from him.

Perhaps she was scared of people. That wouldn't help matters.

He could hear the rubble move some more, and the sound of panic from the voices of the group outside.

He didn't want to terrify the poor girl any more than he already had, but if he wasn't quicker than this they would both die.

Saboo suddenly noticed the bricks piled on top of the child's legs. He began removing them carefully, trying to be swift but strategic.

When he'd taken most of them off, he heard another sound, this one worse than before; he'd made the split second decision to pull the little girl's legs out from under the bricks.

She screamed in what was either pain or fear, perhaps a mix of the two.

Saboo only hoped that she was merely afraid, that her legs had gone too numb to be able to feel anything.

As he was bringing the girl out, the ground beneath his body began to give and he swiftly passed the child off to the nearest person.

Bricks began raining down, and he'd only just gotten his head out of the way before it was too late.

Rather than landing on his head, the heavy load smashed down on his right arm.

He felt bone snap, the searing pain ripped along his arm and into his neck, before spreading to his torso.

Saboo couldn't see, the pain blinding him for a few minutes as the group struggled to free his trapped limb.

It took a few minutes, but the group had been able to uncover Saboo's badly broken arm.

Panting and unable to keep himself from making humiliating groans of agony, he lay on the ground next to the small girl.

Looking at her, he forgot about his pain; he could see her mangled legs which had been crushed and cut so badly that they no longer looked like what they were. The skin was broken in a number of areas, split so deeply that bone could be seen in a few places, and blood had crusted along most of the skin.

Tears stung his eyes, thinking of the horror she'd endured; to be so young and afraid, to suffer so much trauma... It broke his heart.

Saboo tried to look up at her face, wanting to see her looking around and realising that she was safe now.

Because, she was safe. Wasn't she?

She had to be.

His eyes lingered on her torso, his heart skipping a beat as he made a harsh realisation.

The child wasn't breathing.

Saboo's nostrils flared, his face contorting into a mask of distress as tears welled in his eyes.

No. She couldn't die!

This girl might have been three years old; children weren't supposed to suffer like that, let alone die.

His injury forgotten for the moment, Saboo gathered all of the strength that he had and heaved his body up enough to half crawl the rest of the short distance to the child's body.

He put a large hand over her small chest, covering her heart. Forgetting his lack of magic, Saboo focused his energy on healing her.

Nothing happened.

Saboo let out a startling roar of frustration. Wouldn't sending him here have been punishment enough without taking his powers?

He had no idea how to fix her without his magic, but he couldn't abandon hope of her revival. 

Saboo's cheeks were wet with the tears that had been streaming from his eyes and his breathing was ragged. He began to feel the burning pain again, and Saboo struggled to keep from passing out.

He cursed Dennis in a grumble, hating him.

A man tried to move him from the girl, and Saboo turned and socked him with his good hand, knocking him to the ground.

He returned to trying to make her well, hoping that Dennis would hear his fervent mental pleas to return his powers. Saboo had to do something, and this was all he could think of.

Still, nothing happened, and it sank in that this precious child would never again open her eyes.

Saboo couldn't take any more, and in a moment he'd collapsed in an unconscious heap on top of her body.


	7. Home Again

Dennis had been busy with his many duties when the old woman had contacted him via telephone, explaining what had happened and telling him that Saboo had needed to return home as soon as possible in order to recover.

He hadn't expected Saboo to break like this, being quite the tough nut.

Dennis had no way of knowing what went on inside Saboo's head, being shut out mentally from him. 

After sending one of his shamen to pick Saboo up, he'd taken the rest of the day off for a bit of time for himself; between his job, Naboo, and now Saboo, Dennis had become stressed to the point of aggressively taking it out on someone.

And, such outbursts were strictly forbidden to head shamen; a head shamen is meant to always be in control of themselves and to exude a peaceful manner whenever possible.

The only exception was when confrontation was at hand and conflict was unavoidable.

Dennis was dangerously close to caving into what he was feeling, and had to remove himself from the company of others before something happened.

 

Saboo had refused to return, feeling the need to stay where he was and continuing to put his efforts into the most important work he had ever done. For once in his life, he was actually needed and he didn't want to let these people down.

There was much to be done, and as it was there were too few people left to make a proper go of it. 

But, in the end it wasn't his choice to make; he had been sent for and the man acting as courier would not go back without him.

Saboo hadn't been able to fend off the other man with only mortal strength (of which he had very little with what he had just experienced and the injury sustained) and had ended up being shipped back.

He couldn't remember the trip, having been forcefully entranced into a profound sleep the entire time.

Saboo had awoken again after they'd landed, and he had slumped groggily into Dennis' mansion which was where his courier had been told to bring him.

Not that Dennis was there, having gone for a brief retreat to return later that day.

Saboo had been left with one of the servants, who had been instructed to have him take a room.

He only wanted to go home and drink himself into oblivion, maybe take a few poppers to forget everything and adopt a new outlook for a while.

"Yeah, I'll pass." He intoned darkly, struggling to keep from falling down.

Nothing had been done to ease his pain, though the old lady had offered him a draught of viltweed for it before he'd left for Anthereon.

He had kindly refused, knowing there were few pain remedies on that planet and that there were many others suffering worse than he was who could use it instead. He couldn't in all good conscience take it.

The pain had made him feel sick to his stomach, and had suffered bouts of intense dizziness which had made his head ache.

He might not have been competent to fly, but Saboo would rather have walked home than stay there.

He was furious with Dennis, and wasn't sure he would be able to refrain from completely losing his temper.  
And, he knew from experience that when he was angry like this, he tended to end up having something of an enraged black-out where he had no memory of what had happened.

The servant wouldn't let him pass as he tried to leave, and Saboo snarled at him.

"I'm sorry, but you are to stay here by orders of the Head Shaman." He explained nervously, knowing Saboo's reputation for being a jerk. "Please, follow me and I'll show you to your room. If you're hungry, a meal will be prepared for you."

Saboo knew he hadn't any say, and couldn't struggle any longer.

He slowly wandered after the servant to a peach coloured room with white furniture.

It looked like the sort of room a rich elderly woman might have; frilly and lightly coloured.

"Ugh." He grumbled, walking into the room and looking around in disgust.

"I'll send for the doctor to look at your arm." The servant told him.

"Don't bother, I'll be fine." Saboo told him sternly, sitting on the bed.

"I'm only doing as I was told." Saboo was reminded.

"Oh, just piss off, why don't you?" Saboo spat, losing what little patience he'd saved up.

The servant quickly retreated without a word, closing the door behind him.

Saboo sighed, trying to keep from thinking of all that he'd seen since his punishment had been given to him, failing miserably.

 

Dennis had spent hours speeding along the skies, relishing the quiet.

Only the stars, the planets and the inky black of space with only the Moon for company...

Dennis had even entered into a conversation with the Moon, which had lingered on for far too long to be comfortable.

The Moon, if you didn't already know, is rather an alabaster retard; a well-meaning simpleton who often spouts inane rubbish.

Even so, it is difficult not to indulge him when he tries to engage you in conversation.

It was after such a long talk with the Moon that Dennis couldn't keep on talking with him and had excused himself to go back to Anthereon.

 

When he'd returned, he'd learnt of Saboo's arrival.

Dennis had checked on him, finding him sleeping soundly on top of the covers in his dark clothes which were caked in dust and filth.

His arm was wrapped in tattered cloth, and there was dried blood on his skin and clothes.

He then went to see Naboo, who was also sleeping.

Dennis had been on his way to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea when Methuselah had greeted him in her nasal voice.

She was wearing only a skimpy swimsuit as she padded along.

"Come, Dennis." She told him, coming over and kissing him on the mouth.

"Not now, Methuselah." Dennis turned her down, not in the mood for the typically violent sex that they usually had.

His wife was quite aggressive in most ways, and in the bedroom was no exception; she took what she wanted whether he was into it or not, and he knew better than to object.

If he balked, or if he did anything that she objected to which angered her, Methuselah would be sure to show him her displeasure through mental and physical abuse.

To be honest, Dennis was afraid of her.

He had wanted to break things off mere weeks after their arranged marriage solely because of her temper, but fretted what she might have done in retaliation.

It wasn't that she was crazy. On the contrary, she was quite sane.

No, she was simply an easily angered, violent, and incredibly intelligent woman who was used to always getting her way.

"Let me guess, you have another migraine." She said, crossing her arms.

She scoffed, shaking her head. In annoyance, she'd taken off out of the room, leaving him alone.

 

Over the next while, Naboo and Saboo had been healing.

Saboo had been up and at it long before Naboo, but Naboo had become well within the next month and a half.

Once they were each well enough, they'd returned back to their jobs.

Months had gone by, and Naboo had been promoted to novice shaman.

Dennis had taught him well, and Naboo had proven to be an incredibly gifted learner.

He'd picked up spells and incantations with ease, getting his stances and postures just so, experimented with vocal inflections which could change the entire end result.

Naboo had learnt everything Dennis had to teach within six months, and had become a full-fledged shaman much to Saboo's chagrin.

With Naboo being a shaman now, he would be seeing more of the twerp.

Sure, he wasn't as annoying as he'd once seemed, but Naboo still grated on Saboo's nerves in the worst way.


	8. In Which There is A New Path Begun

It wasn't long before Naboo had found himself on Earth, working at a zoo for a complete idiot who baffled him.

It was a strange place, full of captive animals who didn't want to be there.

Naboo couldn't blame them, and would have liked to free them.

When he moved on from the zoo to a better job, perhaps he would do just that.

Most of the employees were boring types, only there for a pay packet. They came in, almost grudgingly did their jobs, and went home.

There were a couple of men who stood out from the crowd. One of them had an affinity for badges and Gary Numan, while the other was more boring and enjoyed jazz.

They seemed to find themselves in trouble often enough that Naboo questioned how they had managed to stay working there.

Naboo had been able to build a decent life for himself on Earth; he lived at the zoo, earned extra money working as a sort of therapist and selling bits and bobs from a stall.

It was a comfortable enough life, and he'd stayed with the zoo for a couple of years while he'd saved up enough money for a big house.

And, he had transformed the main floor of that house into an antiques shop, keeping the upper floors for a home and the basement for stock.

 

It had been slow going at first, but after a while business had taken off and he'd needed to hire someone.

Even with help from Bollo, his gorilla familiar which he had rescued from the zoo.

To his surprise, Naboo had ended up hiring the two strange men from the zoo out of the entire line up of people who'd wanted the job.

Howard Moon and Vince Noir became his shop assistants, and after a while, good friends.

The Nabootique was successful, Naboo was very happy, and Howard and Vince still got into a lot of trouble.

All in all, life was good.

Naboo had the feeling that despite how bleak his future had once seemed, that would he would indeed live happily ever after.


End file.
